1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to aircraft and, in particular, to inspecting aircraft. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for identifying inconsistencies in the fuselage of an aircraft.
2. Background
An aircraft undergoes stresses each time a flight occurs. Stress occurs on the aircraft from the forces that occur during takeoff and landing. Some of the stresses occur from forces of the aircraft landing on the runway. Other stresses that occur during takeoff and landing involve the pressurization of the aircraft. The pressurization and depressurization of the aircraft cause the metal skin of an aircraft to expand and contract.
This change in the aircraft results in the bending of the frame and the skin of the aircraft. Over time, this bending may cause inconsistencies to form, grow, or both. These inconsistencies are often not visible to the naked eye.
Airlines often perform maintenance to identify these inconsistencies. This maintenance is often governed by regulations set out by regulatory agencies, such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Part of this maintenance involves a detailed inspection of the aircraft. When inconsistencies are found, maintenance in the form of rework may be performed to reduce inconsistencies.
Some inspections may require disassembly of the aircraft. This disassembly may allow inspectors to look at areas that are normally not visible. Additionally, non-destructive testing, such as eddy current testing, also may be performed on the aircraft. Eddy current testing may be used to identify inconsistencies that may not be visible to the naked eye.
In some cases, paint may be removed to perform some of the inspections. Some paints or coatings have a conductive material that may make it more difficult to identify inconsistencies when eddy current testing is used. Eddy current testing uses electromagnetic induction to identify inconsistencies in conductive materials, such as metal skin panels.
These types of inspections may require more time and expense than desired. For example, the disassembly of an aircraft results in the aircraft being out of service and unable to generate revenues for the airline.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a method and apparatus that takes into account at least some of the issues discussed above, as well as possibly other issues.